Thin, flexible surface coverings are applied to surfaces in a wide variety of industries and applications. Such surface coverings may include, for example, wallpaper, decorative surface coverings, films, laminates, decorative laminates, and/or any other surface covering. Surface coverings may include an adhesive layer on one side, covered with a removable liner (which may also be referred to as a backing, removable backing, or backing layer) until the time of application. Surface coverings may be applied to any part, surface, or structure, such as tables, counters, walls, ceilings, floors, doors, tables, counters, and etc. Surface coverings such as decorative laminates, are often applied to metallic or composite panels, such as may be used in automotive, aerospace, or any other industrial application.
Such surface coverings are currently applied by hand, by removing the liner to expose the adhesive and applying the surface covering to the part, sweeping one's hand across the non-adhesive side of the surface covering while applying it to the part. Such application methods suffer from imperfections due to non-uniformity of pressure during the sweeping action. Thus, formation of entrapped air pockets or air bubbles between the surface covering and the underlying part is a common problem. In many applications, such trapped air may be aesthetically displeasing and/or detrimental to the performance of the laminate. In the specific example of aircraft parts covered with decorative laminates, the air bubbles may worsen with pressure changes in the aircraft cabin during flight. Repairs to an imperfectly laid surface covering are difficult and time-consuming. There thus remains a need for improved application of decorative laminates and other surface coverings to underlying parts.